Repairs under way; explanation elusive on cable failures

Reports that a fifth undersea data cable has been cut in the Mideast region …

Last week, Egypt reported that two of the major cables that provide the Middle East with internet access had been severed. The cables in question (SEA-ME-WE-4 and FLAG EUROPE ASIA) run close together at the point where they were cut, but are still 1.2 miles (2km) apart. At the time, authorities claimed that the breaks were probably caused by natural events or an undersea accident. Natural forces may still explain the cable breaks, but with a fifth cable break coming to light yesterday, people are increasingly questioning whether there's more to the story.

As of February 6, there have been three-to-four confirmed cable cuts and rumors of a potential fifth cut that may have sliced across the FALCON at another location. A recent Wired article highlights the discrepancies in recent reports, noting that one of the supposed cuts was nothing more than a power outage. Wired also takes issue with the rumored fifth cable break, stating that such rumors are nothing more than recycled information on a cable break that occurred in January.

The diagram below (courtesy of Wikipedia) shows the location of the first two cuts, as well as the paths the optical cables take in and out of the region. Repair crews have already been dispatched to the first two sites, and FLAG hopes to have them both repaired within a week. That's welcome news for governments, companies, and users whose current source of Internet access is significantly constrained by the sole remaining fiber-optic landline.

Undersea cables occasionally fail for one reason or another, but the speed and locality of these particular line breaks have led Internet conspiracy theorists the world over to strap on their tinfoil hats. The leading "alternative" explanation is that these particular Internet outages are not the result of an act of God (as defined by your local insurance agency) or any type of accident, but are the result of a secret US strategy meant to isolate Iran and deprive it of Internet communication. For the record, Iran's Internet access has not been cut off (though the country has experienced some connection difficulties). The conspiracy theory explanation, while just slightly more plausible than "OMGPONIES," has absolutely no independent evidence to back it up. Whatever else the Trilateral Commission, Illuminati, Big Pharma, Al Qaeda, vaccination campaigns, and the Easter Bunny might be plotting at this moment, they just don't seem to be planning a major assault on the Middle East's ability to watch illicit American Idol broadcasts, conduct business, or surf the Arabic equivalent of YouTube. Reuters is reporting that repairs will be completed this weekend.

Three to four cable breaks in just over a week is coincidental—but at the moment, that's all it is. If repairs proceed apace, life should begin to get back to normal in the area by this time next week.